Many expected the iPhone 6C to arrive alongside the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, but that wasn't the case. New reports indicate it'll be out next year.

We’re still awaiting news of a follow-up to Apple’s plastic iPhone 5C, but the latest rumours indicate that it’ll be quite different to its predecessor.

The iPhone 6C is expected to be a 4-inch handset with better specs than the iPhone 5S and a metal back. That’s according to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with sources inside Apple who spoke to AppleInsider. For what it’s worth, Kuo was pretty accurate regarding the iPad Pro.

Kuo says that Apple sees that there is a demand for a smaller iPhone and that it wants to satisfy those customers.

He believes that mass production will start up in the first half of 2016, which means it might launch alongside the iPhone 7 in September. Could it be called the iPhone 7C then? That’s certainly a possibility.

Despite its alleged metal finish, the iPhone 6C is expected to be a more affordable alternative to the flagship. Of course, that was said before the iPhone 5C launched too and that wasn’t quite the case. Those fond of 4-inch iPhones will be hoping that this year’s reports are more accurate.